Attic Remodel

Many Thanks to Wayfair for Helping us furniSh THE attic Well.

Tadaahhhh! There it is, looking how it usually looks – unmade bed, lazy dog in her spot, and clothes on the chair, because WHY ELSE WOULD YOU PUT A CHAIR IN YOUR BEDROOM. Clearly it was meant to be a clothes chair.

Guys. The completion (and documentation) of this space has been a LONG TIME COMIN.

We moved in to this house in 2013 and said: “Yeah, definitely. Let’s finish the upstairs.” Casually. Like it was the same as picking up a gallon of milk at the store or vacuuming the living room.

Then four years went by, because as it turns out, “finishing the upstairs” is not a small project.

Unfinished Attic

Attic in Process

Turns out, also, that I am the world’s slowest house-putter-togetherer. When will it be done? people asked. Well, let’s see – we need three months for construction, and then I’ll need the rest of my lifetime for getting that clock hung in just the right spot. So, uh, never? In the last few years, I have realized that people (myself included, big time) are really impacted by their physical spaces – which is totally empowering and also completely paralyzing. If finding just the right placement for our fourth potted succulent will have a major impact on how I’m going to feel whenever I’m in this room? Um, yes, I will take five years to decide. The mood needs to be right. Don’t rush me.

Are there twelve (not exaggerating – count ’em, TWELVE) holes in that wall over there because I moved those pictures around so many times and ultimately decided not to use them? Yes. Are there sixty five throw pillows in the trunk of my car waiting to be returned to Target? Yes. Are there hours upon hours of my life that I have lost to the deliciously overwhelming idea vortex of Wayfair, Pinterest, and Etsy? Yes.

Putting together a house is hard work. And we are working with a small-ish space here – 900 square feet for the footprint of the house. I have no idea how you mega-house people can do it so effortlessly because I can barely handle this small house situation. Teach me the ways.

Stairs to Attic

Here’s what I’ve decided, using my tiny decision-making muscles: I’ve decided that it will never be perfect. But we love living in it, and therefore it is perfect.

It’s exactly what we want it to be – a cozy and clean space that makes the flow of our home just a little less crowded. It inspires me to breathe deeply. Even though he will never share this finished room with us as we had so carefully and excitedly planned, the peaceful mood of this new part of our home reminds me constantly of our sweet Afton who inspired so much growth in our hearts and in our lives.

So come on in – I’d be honored to have you look around today, courtesy of the internet. And beautiful thing of the internet #4285: I don’t have to vacuum and you don’t have to get dog hair all over your socks. WIN.

So here’s what it looks like when you come in at the top of the stairs.

Attic Bedroom Entrance

And here’s my daughter.

attic bedroom

And here are the cute baskets we got at Target that double as functional and decorational. I’m very sure that’s a word.

Laundry Organization Baskets

The built-ins with soft close drawers that make me ooh and aah every time I use them:

Built-In Cabinets

And the little picture ledge on the wall that holds up our art.

Wayfair Bed and Nightstands

One of several pictures of our real baby:

Attic Shelf Decor

And one of several nap spots for our dog baby. (Who, I’ll have you know, recently got her teeth professionally cleaned which is why she has a little shaved spot on her arm. Her breath, you guys. It does not kill me every time she opens her mouth. THIS IS A BIG DEAL. And now we’re at that moment when your attic remodel reveal turns into a detailed recounting of your dog’s dental history.)

Sage in Attic

This cute Minnesota print is life!

Minnesota Wall Art

And I cannot even with these sconces. They are WAY adorable.

Modern Wall Sconce

We have a lot of stuff from Wayfair – basically anything cute will fall in this category – so we put together a list of products for you to find what you’re looking for. BONUS: Black Friday sales coming up. Keep your eyes peeled.

Our Fave Decor Stuffs:

In putting together this post, I ended up digging through some of my older house posts and I came across this story from a previous post where I wrote about the emotions of leaving our old (first) house and moving into this house. The story is about a different house at a different time.

But it feels like I wrote it for myself right now, today.

And maybe it will feel like I wrote it for you, too.

The funny thing about these heart-happy memories is that the LAST thing I think about is the warped floor in the kitchen where the dishwasher leaked, the drafty windows, and the faux wood floor carpet (no, seriously) that I disliked so much. I just think about us, and what we did together, and how that little house played a big role in that precious first-five-years-together chapter of our lives. And now suddenly I have a small heartache.

Dear Pinterest Loving, Overly Ambitious, Wanna Havva Perfect House Lindsay: remember this feeling as you unpack, settle, remodel, decorate, DIY, and generally start this chapter of life in your new home.

Home is home because it’s where we are, together. ❤

What a funny thing, houses.